Trades46 here,

I was given feedback by my friend who pointed out that I write too often in a passive past tense. Keeping that in mind, I paid extra attention in this next chapter as I attempt to keep it in present tense. Give me a shout in the reviews to see if this style works better.

Enjoy!


Chapter 4:

On the next day after of testing, a group of pilots from a mix of squadrons along with Ti2 and I are sent into the simulators for a test battle against a Belser attack. The group includes an experienced veteran who is transitioning from the front lines to a batch of new trainees brought straight from the academy. The point of the test is to see our individual fighting ability and teamwork with non-squadron members. General Kristoph personally ordered that both Ti2 and I are to take part in this exercise and to lead the battle.

Since I wear the badge of Lt. Colonel, the highest rank of the group, I'm appointed the leader of the attack squadron 'Delta'.

Before the mission starts, everyone gathers into the preparation room. The computers inside read the enemy formation around their capital-ship 'King Fossil' class with 2 'Green Coronatus' as accompanying escorts. After analyzing their weapons, enemy locations and formations, I started to formulate an attack strategy.

'Sergeant Ferris Rexton, right?' I confirm with the veteran standing at the front of the computer.

"Aye, Lt. Colonel. Sgt. Rexton of the 172nd squadron sir…well formerly anyways." He responds, the last bit in a tone with much less enthusiasm. I did not bother to ask any further.

'Alright, since you have experience as a leader, I would let you take six units with you and lead the frontal attack. Go for the openings in their plasma artillery platforms and hit them with all you got.'

The sergeant promptly gives me a "sir yes sir!" confirmation.

I then turn to Ti2, who is fidgeting a little bit as a female trainee, or Ms. Rozenberg as read on her uniform, in the back appears to be preoccupied in… playing with her hair. I let out a light cough. the trainee instantly regained attention.

'Ti2, you lead two units and start attacks on their right flank, and I'll lead the attack on the left. Again, try to get behind the Green Coronatus' plasma guns and try to attack the King Fossil from the rear-up. His weak spot is in the mouth, but if we go for his gill plating, we might be able to get enough damage on it for a clean shot into his mouth. Got it?'

"Acknowledged sir." Ti2 replied in her usual robotic tone. I swore that the voice I have heard yesterday when we're dueling Lance that she sounded different, but I quickly dismissed the trivial things.

'Alright, let's go ahead with the operation. Remember: stay with your squad leaders and use your radios! Communication is the key in co-ordination and survival! If you run into trouble, do not be afraid to call for support!' I announce to the group just as they got into the simulation machines.

'Delta squad, launch!'


It wasn't long until our squadron met the Belser fleet and the attacks begun.

Following the plan, I took the start to flank the enemy fleet on the left to start taking out the escort drones lining the attack cruisers that are behind the Green Coronatus escort. Both Delta units in my wing started their attacks runs with great success, as many drones quickly fell to our pre-emptive strike.

However, a radio transmission from Sgt. Rexton arrived after the first few minutes of the attack. He is requesting immediate support, claiming that the front wave battalion are better equipped than what the intelligence has shown us. I quickly check my radar and found Ti2's flanking squad is in closer proximity to the main force than I am.

I quickly got on the radio and request that their fire mission be postponed and immediately transition to support Sgt. Rexton with the main attack force.

I received no response. What in the name of all that is holy is she doing?

I shout into the radio again.

'Delta 2, this is Delta 1 Lt. Colonel Pratica speaking! Withdraw from your objective! Reroute immediately to aid Delta 3 in the main attack squadron ASAP!'

"This is Delta 13 and Delta 15 under Delta 2's squad. We are breaking from fire mission to aid Delta 3's main forces. Delta 2 is not responding I repeat, Delta 2 is not responding. We are deciding to break formation to assist" announced one of the trainees.

Ti2's aircraft still continues to stay in her attack position, even after her two squad mates have retreated to the front-line.

A few minutes later, the radio was full of transmissions from the front attack group. It was painfully obvious that the situation has gone from bad to downright disastrous.

"Lt. Colonel, this is Delta 4 in the main force! We're being killed here! We need cover ASAP!"

"This is Delta 8, I've been hit hard and I can't control her! Mayday, Mayday!"

"Delta 11 here, I have warning lights all over! I'm gonna have to bail!"

"Delta 6, my weapon systems are completely shot! I'm falling back!"

"I'm Delta 5; the enemy capital-ship is in range! I can't get away (buzz)… (Static) "

I curse under my breath. I call both of the trainees behind me to follow my back as I set course to the front-line. I pushed the Silverhawk to its maximum speed and race to Rexton's squad.

Thousands of plasma shots, laser beams and AA fire soon fills the area as the two trainees behind me struggle to keep pace, forcing me to turn around to quickly take out as much as I can on route to Rexton's distress signal. I fear by the time I get there, there honestly won't be much left to save.

As I draw closer to the remains of the squad in the frontline, the enemy capital-ship starts to smoke. After a series of explosions on the right side of the capital-ship, a large explosion soon erupts from the main body, tearing 'King Fossil' into hundreds of fragments as they descend slowly into the abyss of space. All enemy Belser drones and the Green Coronatus escort ships also begin to retreat from the operation area.

The battle is a won and we are successful, though I would never agree to what the computer system has stated on its displays.

After quickly glancing at the battle report, I figure that of the 15 Silverhawks deployed in this operation, only 9 of them would have returned to safety.

In other words, another 6 pilots would have been lost in this pathetically simple attack operation in a war where we've already lost far too many.


'What is the meaning of this?'

I shout as I walked over to Ti2 as I got out of the simulation rig. Everyone in the room turns to look at me.

"Reporting Lt. Colonel, I was the one that destroyed the Belser ship at my flank and attacked its weak point." she stated matter-of-factly.

I immediately close in on her little frame and punch my fist against the wall behind her. Her nonchalant tone was beginning to be aggravating in this situation.

'Don't give me that, I'm fully aware of what happened. What I want to know why you disobey orders!?' I barked.

"..."

Ti2 briefly gave a blank stare at me before continuing.

"Reporting Lt. Colonel...I was following your exact orders as directed during our strategy briefing..."

I stop paying attention as I begun to shake my head in frustration. I don't know how DDA or whatever agency that built and programmed her to have some sort of processing or forget to add a few lines of code to her morality compass, but I have witnessed too many pilots lives being lost fighting the Belser with this sort of hero mentality.

I made up my mind. This sort of shit isn't going to fly.

I slammed the wall with my fist, the loud noise stopping both Ti2 and causing everyone in the room to look this way.

'Humans are living beings in case you didn't know Lieutenant. My…our men were getting slaughtered in the front lines, and even after I gave you a direct order to help, you still didn't follow!?'

"...the order conflicted with the primary directive..."

I'm not sure what to feel at this point; whether if she is designed to be utterly ruthless or just single minded in achieving her objective, everything else, including human lives, be damned.

I'm absolutely infuriated at this point. I start to shout at her directly.

'I DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT THE ENEMY IF OUR MEN ARE IN DANGER! DO YOU KNOW THAT 6 PEOPLE WOULD HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES TODAY BECAUSE OF YOUR SELFISHNESS!? JUST HOW PRECIOUS DO YOU THINK A HUMAN LIFE IS, YOU DAMNED ROBOT!?'

Ferris, the pilot of 'Delta 3', runs over to me and tells me that I'm too emotional and need to calm down. The rest of the Delta team's trainees are doing the same. I remain silent, trying to catch my breath after my outburst.

Ti2appear to be utterly confused and taken aback by my sudden outburst. The trainee Rozenberg noticing the mood quickly came in and took the android girl out of the room.


For the next couple of days, I commute to and from the DIA testing facility for more fine-tuning of the systems of the prototype Silverhawks. Though the plane never took off, the flight controls are connected to a computer and analyzed by Grinnell and the team to check for irregularities of the internal systems during actual operation.

The Legend is also tested in a similar way, but the prototype was operated by an automated system. I never saw Ti2 in the hangars for the rest of the week. Despite my outburst and her utter lack of what I would call a human response, I soon quickly felt regret as I felt no different than an old man who was shouting at a computer or smartphone after it froze on him.

Despite of her selfishness in the last joint operation, she did in fact singlehandedly take down a King Fossil class Belser capital-ship. That itself is an extraordinary achievement, something very few Darians could ever claim to do, even if on a simulator.

Grinnell noticed my troubles, and feeling a bit lost, I told him what has happened during the day of testing over lunch.

"Riga, you're probably the only person I know who can get that angry at the small innocent little thing. In the end of the day, it was only a simulation run…"

I promptly give Grinnell my infamous 'look'. He immediately took it back.

"Well, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Remember, Ti2 may look like a cute 14-year-old, but she's an ANDROID. Like a machine, Riga, the same sort of things we all use every day. Let's put it this way: do you get mad when your computer freezes on you? You get mad at the computer right? If you think about it like that, then it might be easier to swallow."

I wonder if he knew how much more frustrated that made me feel instead. I decided that it was easier to get back to the task on hand instead of overthinking such trivial matters.


On the 5th day of testing, Lance Stintz from Sundial squadron decides to drop in for a visit. He looks grim compared to the last meeting we had.

"Hey Lt. Colonel, have you heard about them frontlines?" Lance started. "Apparently them fish-monsters have broken the 3rd line of defense already. Hear that the higher-ups are planning to move us and couple others tomorrow to the outer zones to reinforce the front-lines."

Lance pause himself for a moment.

"I don't know about them Colonel, them fish-monsters. I never fought 'um after enlisting in DDA. I'm not sure if I can keep Sundial in the run…I think I'm a bit scared Colonel."

Since I was picked from the corps to become a test pilot, it has been awhile since I have heard updates to the front-line situation, especially with the Belser doing a number on our communications network. I too find it difficult to believe that the Belser have already broken that far into the defensive perimeter. At their current rate of conquest, it wouldn't be too far off to say we could see a Belser right up close on Darius itself.

Most of the Belser that have been sent close to Darius thus far have been scouting drones which falls quickly to even a trainee pilot in a Silverhawk. However, a quick look in the Darius history books written by former aces showed photographs of giant warships that make the Silverhawk look like a grain of rice.

The testing equipment and records we have of the largest size, like the 'Fossil' class units, are merely small attack ships that are now only used for attack runs, meaning the Belser now has much, larger capital-ships than ever before in history, and that somewhere in space in vicinity of our home planet: they are waiting.

'With your repertoire of skills, you'll make short work of those Belser ships.' I told him confidently.

I sure hope I sounded convincing enough.


Notes:

I don't really know the extent of how much swearing is permitted in a T-rated fic, so I just kept Riga's raging above underwhelming to not upset the audience and/or fanfiction's mods.

See you next update!

-Trades46